Main Idea
8th Grade
Main Idea – why?
 The best way to think about Main Idea
is to think of it as the reason why a
paragraph exists.
The main idea is the central idea or most
important idea presented by the paragraph.
If there is no main idea, there is no
paragraph.
Main Idea – what does it do?
 Main idea does many things for the
paragraph.
 It gives focus, purpose, and direction.
 It gives the paragraph a point.
The rest of the paragraph then develops,
illustrates, and supports the main idea.
It is defined as the most important idea in the
paragraph.
Finding the Main Idea
 Sometimes the main idea is stated in
the topic sentence.
 This is called a STATED main idea.
Usually this is the first sentence of the
paragraph.
Beginning with the topic sentence and
following it with support is a natural way of
explaining something.
What is the main idea of this paragraph?
 The fight against starvation in
West Africa is being hampered
by the rainy season. Heavy rains
are turning the dirt roads into
muddy rivers. Relief will have to
wait for a dry spell that seems
nowhere in sight. The weather
bureau is maintaining silence for
fear of increased alarm.
What is the main idea of this paragraph?
Main idea
supporting
details
 The fight against starvation in
West Africa is being hampered
by the rainy season. Heavy rains
are turning the dirt roads into
muddy rivers. Relief will have to
wait for a dry spell that seems
nowhere in sight. The weather
bureau is maintaining silence for
fear of increased alarm.
Try this one.
 If the wind becomes gusty after a period
of calm, you should seek shelter. The
sky needs careful watching too.
Gradual darkening and “boiling” clouds
should quicken your pace. Lightning
and thunder are common enough storm
indicators, but few people realize that
the brightness of the lightning is not as
important as the number of flashes.
The signs of an oncoming storm are
many, and a person’s life may depend
on the ability to interpret them.
Try this one.
supporting
details.
main idea
 If the wind becomes gusty after a period
of calm, you should seek shelter. The
sky needs careful watching too.
Gradual darkening and “boiling” clouds
should quicken your pace. Lightning
and thunder are common enough storm
indicators, but few people realize that
the brightness of the lightning is not as
important as the number of flashes.
The signs of an oncoming storm are
many, and a person’s life may depend
on the ability to interpret them.
Another kind of Main Idea
 Sometimes a paragraph does not have
a topic sentence.
 This is called an UNSTATED or implied
main idea.
 In this kind of paragraph, the details
should be strong enough to imply the
Main Idea.
 You need to make a conclusion using
what you see.
Unstated or Implied Main Idea
 Details are arranged to support a broad
idea.
 Details will not be in any particular
order.
 They may be a list of important
statements.
 The UNSTATED main idea is a
summary of them.
Try this – find the UNSTATED main idea
 Joshua Bingham studies four years at
the University of Paris and decided to
leave before his graduation. He
transferred to the University of Berlin
and graduated with honors. Harvard
Law School, an later, Boston College
provided his with an excellent legal
background. He continues his studies
through journals and seminars.
Main idea - Joshua Bingham is well educated.
Watch out for sentences that may not belong

Sometimes a writer will include a sentence
that does not really belong.

It does not support the main idea, but offers
additional information on a slightly different
topic.

If this sentence had been included in that
paragraph, it would have been irrelevant to
the main idea.
Not necessary to determine main idea.

Not part of the
main idea.
Joshua Bingham studies four years at the
University of Paris and decided to leave
before his graduation. He transferred to the
University of Berlin and graduated with
honors. Harvard Law School, an later,
Boston College provided his with an
excellent legal background. Many lawyers
find that sports help them relax and
improve their mental sharpness. He
continues his studies through journals and
seminars.